1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to ore flotation processes, and more particularly, to mineral flotation agents for use in ore flotation processes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Froth flotation is a commonly employed process for recovering and concentrating minerals from an ore or a concentrate of the ore. In such a process, the ore is crushed and wet ground to obtain a pulp. The pulp is aerated to produce a froth at the surface thereof. Certain minerals contained in the pulp adhere to bubbles of the froth and are carried to the surface of the pulp therewith. Other minerals do not adhere to bubbles of the froth and remain with the tail product or remaining pulp. The minerals adhering to bubbles of the froth are then skimmed or otherwise removed and separated. Both the froth product and the tail product can be further processed to obtain desired minerals. In this way, valuable minerals can be separated from undesired or gangue portions of the ore.
In order to increase the productivity of the process, additives such as mineral flotation agents known in the art as "collectors" and mineral flotation agents known in the art as "depressants" are typically admixed with the pulp together with other additives such as frothing agents, stabilizers and the like. Depressants, also called suppressants, increase the mineral selectivity of the process by reducing the flotation of certain minerals and thereby increasing the production of certain minerals. In other words, depressants selectively inhibit the adherance of certain minerals to the bubbles of the froth thus assisting in the separation of certain minerals from others. Collectors are admixed with the pulp to cause certain minerals contained therein to adhere to bubbles of the froth so that they can be recovered when the froth is skimmed or otherwise removed from the pulp. Typical mineral flotation collectors include xanthates, amines, alkyl sulfates, arenes, sulfonates, dithiocarbamates, dithiophosphates, thiols, and fuel oils. Many depressants and collectors have been developed heretofore.
By the present invention, it has been discovered that compounds formed by the reaction of hydrogen sulfide with dicyclopentadiene are useful as mineral flotation agents in froth flotation processes. Thus, by the present invention, an improved process for the recovery of minerals from an ore or concentrate containing the same is provided.